Improvement in water-elevators



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T ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I', A. H. KNAPP, of Newton Centre, in thevcounty of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an improved Water-Elevatori and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full and exact description `thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification- Figure l being a side elevation of the apparatus, i

Figure 2, a top view of the same.

Figure' 3, a front elevation thereof.

Figure 4, a bottom view of one of the cups or buckets.

Figure 5, a vertical section of the same in a plane indicated by the line a fr, fig. 4.

Figure 6, avicw of one of the blank-links of the chain.

Figure 7, a View of one of the bucket-links of the chain.

Like letters 'designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

The apparatus `to which my improvements relate consists of an endless chain, to which a continuous forward motion is given, 'and upon which a number of cups or small buckets are secured, and alternately carried down into the well to be filled with water, and raised out of the well to be emptied.

First, I employ two sprockct-wheels or pairs of sprocket-Wheels, C D, on different parallel shafts, and situated at about equal heights, so that the chain A passes horizontally from one to the other, substantially as shown. The two pairs of whcels may be at any suitable distance apart, or about as near together as they can conveniently be placed. The.discharge-reservoir or spout I is situated beneath and between them. The object of these two pairs of sprocketavheels is to give the buckets or cups B B time `to entirely discharge the water before they begin .to descend, however fast the chain may be moving; and it is obvious that Athe object is perfectlyattaincd by this means, whereas with one sprocket-wheel or pair of wheels the buckets or cups are turned'downward so quickly, as they pass over the wheels, that much of the water isthrown over beyond the spout and wasted. Another advantage gained is that` sprocket-wheels of much smaller diameter may be used than one pair could possibly be made, so that the cups may be tilted much more quickly as they come up, and hence waste little or no water when tilted, by dripping, as is the case with large wheels.

Second, instead of arranging the cup or buckets B B at uniform distances along the whole length of the chain, as heretofore, I arrange them all in two clusters or groups only, the two clusters being on opposite parts of the endless chain, so that one is ,descending while the other is ascending, down when the other-is up, and lling when the other is emptying. All the intermediate parts of the chain are without buckets or blankf It is intended that each cluster of bucketsl together shall hold an ordinary pailful, oias much as itis convenienttto draw at once. Thus, if there are tive cups or buckets in each cluster, and each cup or bucket holds two quarts,

then the whole cluster -wll raise ten quarts at once. They are placed successively along 4the chain, as closelytogether 'as convenient, so that the whole cluster comes up very nearly at one time, and as soon as they are all discharged there is no further drawing, unless the next cluster is to be raised and discharged.

There are several important' advantages in this arrangement of the cups or buckets in clusters or groups: first, the expense of construction is comparatively small, since, however deep the well may be, the only additionalcost in increasing the depth is'that of the additional length of chain, which is trilling, there being the same number of buckets in shallow as in deep wells; second, nounnecessary power is expeiided in raising the water, since all the water that is lifted at all from the well is discharged in the spout and obtained,- whereas ifbuckets arearranged ulong the whole length ofthe chain there'are always nearly half of them filled and partly Iraised, requiring much additional power, and must return again vto the well without any benefit being derived from their contents, unless the chain is held by a ratchet, in Vwhich case the water becomes warm and stale if it remainsl long suspended in the air; third, the chain can be changed in length and adapted to the varyh ing depth of water in the well without interfering with the Varrangement; of the cupsor buckets inthe least; fourth, there is not a continual violent .agitation of the water in the well by the cups or buckets passing through it. v p

One pair of sprocket-wheels, D, is secured to the driving-shaft E. The crank G may be attached to this shaft direct; and this would be suicient, and proper for the strength of men, as I am euabledtolmake the chain, the remainingl ,portions o f thevchain' being without buckets or cups, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth. p

' 3.' I also claim the arrangement of side gearingp r s t, at the main shaft E, in combination with the coupling n and shifting device lZ m, .or the equivalents thereof, for the purpose herein-set forth.

4. I also claim the chain-guides jk o, separately or together, as arrangeclvin relation tothe chain and buckets or cups, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

5. I also claim the -chain A, the wheels C D, and the-` cross-bars of the links, extending across and resting in notches v v of the Wheels, all arrangedas set forth. y

6. I also claim the buckets or cups held by the bent links c c, and sc arrunged that their centres are nearly opposite to the joints betweenv the links, substantially as and for the purpose-herein specified.

7. I also claim the buckets or cups with notches oriudentations in the bottoms, in combination with the bent links, for the purpose set forth.

8. I also claim the vguide-wires. or rods g g, which pass around and wire-one-half of the edges of the several buckets or cups, and clasp the middles of the supporting-links, the links being bent at the joints therewith, substantially 'as and for the purpose herein set forth.

9. I alsoclairn the open spaces w w, in the edges of thc wheels, intermediate between the chan-bearing notches 21 v, for the purpose herein set forth.

10. I also claim the suspended buckets or cups -n'ith flattened inner edges, as arranged upon the wheel or wheels, substantially 'its and for the purpose herein set forth.

The above specification of my improved Water-elevator signed by me this first day of February, 1867.

A. H. KNAPP.

Witnesses:

F. L. KNAPP, F. W. Gnovnn. 

